The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Nebraska with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
This page is built to print. Use your browser's Print command and choose "Save as PDF" for a one-page Nebraska reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Nebraska probate pages.
Nebraska probate fees
| Item | Nebraska |
|---|---|
| Court filing fee | Neb. Rev. Stat. §33-125(1)(a)(i) sets a flat $22 county court fee for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, plus $22 for each subsequent petition filed in that proceeding. §33-125(1)(b) sets a sliding scale for probate commenced or closed formally, keyed to the gross value of the estate: $22 up to $1,000, rising through $100 at $25,000–$50,000, $400 at $300,000–$400,000, $500 at $400,000–$500,000, and topping out at $1,500 above $5,000,000. Informal fees may not exceed what formal probate would cost on the same estate. |
| Attorney fees | Not statutory. Fees must be reasonable for the services rendered. |
| Executor / personal representative fees | The personal representative is entitled to reasonable compensation under Neb. Rev. Stat. §30-2480; there is no statutory percentage. §30-2480 also provides that where a will fixes compensation and there is no contract with the decedent about it, the personal representative may renounce that provision before qualifying and take reasonable compensation instead, and may renounce all or part of the compensation by a written renunciation filed with the court. |
| Fee basis | reasonable |
| Appraisal / referee | Not used. Nebraska does not appoint a state appraiser. The personal representative prepares an inventory and may hire an appraiser for assets that are hard to value. |
Worked example
Nebraska sets no formula, so no worked example can be calculated from the statute: a court reviews each fee request against the work the administration actually required.
Nebraska thresholds and deadlines
| Item | Nebraska |
|---|---|
| Small-estate threshold | Personal property up to $100,000 can be collected by affidavit 30 days after death under Neb. Rev. Stat. §30-24,125. A separate affidavit under §30-24,129(a)(1) reaches real property where "the value of the decedent's interest in all real property in the decedent's estate located in this state does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars" ($100,000), valued "from the value of the property shown on the assessment rolls for the year in which the decedent died less real estate taxes and interest thereon if any is due at the time of death". It is filed with the register of deeds in a county where the property is located, thirty days after death, with no personal representative appointed or pending. |
| Creditor claim period | Two months after the date of the first publication of the notice to creditors, where notice is given in compliance with Neb. Rev. Stat. §§25-520.01 and 30-2483 (§30-2485(a)(1)). The clerk of the court publishes that notice once a week for three successive weeks, with first publication within thirty days after the appointment (§30-2483(a)). Where notice was not given in compliance with those sections, claims arising before death are barred three years after the decedent's death (§30-2485(a)(2)). A creditor who did not present a claim within the two months, including one who received no notice, may apply to the court within sixty days after that period expires, and the court may allow further time not to exceed thirty days for good cause shown (§30-2485(a)(1)). |
| Statutory floor (creditor period) | Two months after the date of the first publication of the notice to creditors, where notice is given in compliance with Neb. Rev. Stat. §§25-520.01 and 30-2483 (§30-2485(a)(1)). The clerk of the court publishes that notice once a week for three successive weeks, with first publication within thirty days after the appointment (§30-2483(a)). Where notice was not given in compliance with those sections, claims arising before death are barred three years after the decedent's death (§30-2485(a)(2)). A creditor who did not present a claim within the two months, including one who received no notice, may apply to the court within sixty days after that period expires, and the court may allow further time not to exceed thirty days for good cause shown (§30-2485(a)(1)). |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Nebraska allows a transfer-on-death deed for real estate under the Nebraska Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act, which §76-3401 states comprises Neb. Rev. Stat. §§76-3401 to 76-3424 (most recently amended by Laws 2025, LB422). Owners can record a TOD deed naming a beneficiary; the property passes at death without probate. |
What passes outside Nebraska probate
These transfers are not part of the estate the fees above are calculated on:
- Beneficiary designations — retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death accounts.
- Joint ownership with right of survivorship.
- Transfer-on-death deed — Nebraska allows a transfer-on-death deed for real estate under the Nebraska Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act, which §76-3401 states comprises Neb. Rev. Stat. §§76-3401 to 76-3424 (most recently amended by Laws 2025, LB422). Owners can record a TOD deed naming a beneficiary; the property passes at death without probate.
- Assets titled into a funded living trust.
Sources for this sheet
- Statutes: Neb. Rev. Stat. §30-2480; Neb. Rev. Stat. §30-2485; Neb. Rev. Stat. §30-24,125; Neb. Rev. Stat. §76-3401 et seq. (transfer-on-death deed); Neb. Rev. Stat. §77-2001 et seq. (inheritance tax)
- State authority: Nebraska Revised Statutes (Nebraska Legislature, nebraskalegislature.gov)
- Small-estate threshold: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=30-24%2C125
- Transfer-on-death deed: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=76-3401
- Transfers outside probate: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=77-2004
- Court filing fees: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=33-125
Compiled August 15, 2026 from the sources listed above. Fee schedules, thresholds, and court costs are amended by legislatures and courts — confirm each figure against the cited statute or the Nebraska court before relying on it.
The full Nebraska guides
- How Much Does Probate Cost in Nebraska? — the full cost breakdown.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Nebraska? — the fee rule in detail.
- How Long Does Probate Take in Nebraska? — the timeline and its statutory floor.
- Executor Deadlines in Nebraska — inventory deadline, creditor-claim period and outer bar, each quoted from the statute.
- How to Avoid Probate in Nebraska — the transfers that pass outside it.
- How Much Does a Will Cost in Nebraska? — execution requirements and pricing.
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This sheet sets out Nebraska probate figures as published at the time of compilation. It is not legal advice. Figures and statutes change and their application depends on the specific estate. Confirm current figures with the Nebraska courts or a licensed Nebraska attorney.